Apparatus for treating sheet material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for applying a flowable material to sheet material. The sheet material is advanced beneath an applicator means which directs a stream of flowable material to a treatment zone for application to the sheet material. And support means for movably mounting the applicator means so that the applicator means can be moved to change the disposition of the width dimension of the stream with respect to the path of the sheet material to effect changes in the area treated by the flowable material in the treatment zone without changing the width of the stream.

[451 Sept. 30, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Hall 2.321082 6/l943 Harshberger..t.................i.i 118/308 1620.423 11/1971 Dalglcish 118/108 [54] APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHEET MATERIAL Primary E.\'mninerMervin Stein Assistant E.\'aminer-Douglas Salser [73] Assigncc:

Altar/1e), Agent, or Firm-Carl G. Staelin; John W. Overman; Kenneth H. Wetmore [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for applying a flowable material to sheet [2i] Appl. No.:465,216

material. The sheet material is advanced beneath an applicator means which directs a stream of flowable material to a treatment zone for application to the sheet material. And support means for movably mounting the applicator means so that the applicator References Cited means can be moved to change the disposition of the UNITED STATES PATENTS width dimension of the stream with respect to the path um m n u h l h F .mC g ma m :1 fim m c m D m M 7 .P w l S flb m n h mw m a g m fmw C thn 1 a m m emw mh h OtW 0084 00 002 0 33w33 88 800 Baldwin Robert..... Wallach et US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,591

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,908,591

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHEET MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for treating sheet material by supplying fluent material to such sheet material. And more particularly to the applying of particulate binder material to fibrous sheet material. such as continuous glass strand mat or chopped glass strand mat.

Generally, in the past a sheet material such as a glass fiber mat is moved along by a conveyor underneath a binder applicator. The applicator is typically a rectangularly shaped hopper box with a fixed outlet region in its bottom surface. The hopper box and its outlet openings are positioned above and normal to the direction of movement of the conveyor means. The outlet discharge opening is approximately as wide as the widest sheet material that is planned to be produced on the machine.

As can readily be seen the above arrangement works best when only one width mat is produced on the machine. The outlet region can be engineered to the width of the sheet material being produced so substantially all of the binder material from the applicator will be applied to the sheet material being produced.

But in practice, these sheet-making machines must be able to treat sheet material of different widths. As can be seen there is a problem when producing a sheet material that is smaller than the width of the outlet region of the binder applicator. Several approaches have been taken.

One apparatus to treating a mat width smaller than the outlet region of the binder applicator is to make no modification of the binder applicator at all. As the mat passes beneath the binder applicator, binder is deposited on the mat over its entire width. But binder is also deposited beyond the edges of the mat onto the conveyor mechanism. As can be seen this is a simple method for producing mat with a small width but there are obvious drawbacks to this approach. The binder material which falls upon the conveyor means is generally wasted. This wasted binder material may cause other cleaning and maintenance problems.

Another way of producing mat of varying widths involves varying the outlet region of the binder applicator. Baffles are often positioned inside the hopper of the binder applicator to dam up or block off a portion of the outlet region. If the outlet region is successfully blocked off, binder material will be applied only to the mat and none will fall outside the mat width. But to dam up or block the outlet region of the binder applicator is a difficult and time consuming task. In practice, the outlet region which is blocked off will often leak and so there is generally some waste of binder material. Also, the baffles are difficult to install, position and remove from the hopper region of the applicator. It would be difficult and time consuming to remodify the binder applicator for subsequent changes in mat width. Thus, with this type apparatus, there can be some binder waste and also a maintenance problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an apparatus for treating sheet supplied to the treatment zone with a flowable material. The applicator means above the treatment zone directs a curtain-like stream of flowable material toward the sheet. This stream has a horizontal cross section whose width is greater than its thickness. There are support means for movably mounting the applicator means so that the applicator means can be moved to change the disposition of the width dimension of the stream with respect to the direction of movement of the sheet material to effect changes in the area treated by the flowable material in the treatment zone without changing the width of the stream.

Thus, the applicator means may be positioned above the sheet material so that flowable material from the applicator means is deposited entirely across the width of the sheet. Then when a different width mat, either larger or smaller, is desired the applicator may be moved with respect to the direction of movement of the mat to modify the area of treatment of the sheet. This treatment area can be modified to match the width of the sheet.

It is, therefore a principle object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for treating sheet material with a fluent material.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which may be easily adapted for treating sheet of varying widths.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for treating sheet material which efficiently and effectively utilizes the treatment material.

These and other objectives and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a prospective view of an apparatus for applying flowable material to sheet material according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 with applicator means positioned normal to the sheet material.

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 but with applicator means positioned oblique to the sheet material.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view showing another preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, an applicator assembly 11 for applying flowable material 12 is positioned above a sheet material 22. The flowable material 12 is held in a box or hopper 10. The fluent material 12 could be any coating or binder material. For example the flowable material 12 could be a particulate material such as small particles of thermoplastic material. The flowable material 12 could also be a liquid material or a particulate material mixed with a liquid. The hopper 10 is an elongated steel box having side walls and a bottom. The hopper could of course be made of other materials such as stainless steel or fiberglas reinforced plastic material and be of many different shapes than the box shown. Normally there is a supply means to bring the flowable material from a remote storage area to the hopper 10. The remote storage area and delivery means are not shown. The hopper 10 has an outlet region 14 for emitting the flowable material. The outlet region 14 in FIG.

l is shown to be a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the hopper 10. This outlet region 14 could be a series of holes in the bottom of the hopper l0. Alternately a series of nozzles or tubes could be used as outlets for emitting the flowable material 12.

There is a metering device at the outlet region 14 for metering the amount of flowable material 12 that leaves the hopper 10. As shown, the metering device is a roll 16 generally filling the outlet region 14. This roll 16 can be a knurled or grooved roll As the roll 16 turns, flowable material enters the grooved or knurled areas on the roll 16 and is carried outside of the hopper 10. This roll 16 will generally be a steel or stainless steel knurled or grooved roll. To stop leakage of flowable material between the roll 16 and the bottom surface of the hopper l seals are placed between the sides of the hopper l0 and the roll 16. These seals 15 can be made of a rubber or a felt-like material. As the roll 16 rotates flowable material enters the grooves and knurles of the roll and passes outside of the hopper 10. As the roll 16 rotates a brush roll 18 brushes the first roll 16 and thus cleans the flowable material 12 from the grooves or knurled areas on the roll 16. The brush roll 18 may rotate in an opposite direction of the knurled roll 16 and thus enhance the cleaning action on the knurled roll.

After the flowable material 12 leaves the applicator assembly 11 it falls in an elongated curtain-like stream to the treatment zone 20. Thus, the flowable material 12 raining down into the treatment zone is applied to a sheet material 22 which is passing through the treatment zone 20. The sheet material 22 can be a fibrous mineral material. The sheet material 22 may for example be comprised of glass fibers. Thus the sheet material 22 could be a continuous strand or chopped strand glass fiber mat.

The sheet material 22 is moved below the applicator means by a conveyor means 24. This conveyor means 24 may be a foraminous conveyor. A porous conveyor such as a chain type conveyor could be used.

The treatment zone 20 is the space above the conveyor means 24 where sheet material 22 passing through this space may be treated with the fluent material 12 from above. Thus, this treatment zone 20 is the region where the flowable material 12 and the sheet material 22 come together for treatment of the sheet material 22.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an applicator assembly 11 applying flowable material to sheet material of different widths. Flowable material 12 is directed from the hopper 10 through the outlet regions 14 toward the treatment zone. Sheet material 26 similar to that described in FIG. 1 is advanced below the applicator assembly 11 by a conveyor means 24. The treatment zone is the space above the conveyor means 24 where flowable material directed from the applicator means is applied to the sheet material 26. A metering roll 16 such as a knurled or grooved roll is at and generally filling the outlet region 14. A brush roll 18 is used with the metering roll as described earlier.

In FIG. 2 the sheet material 26 such as a glass fiber mat is moved through the treatment zone by the conveyor means 24. Thus, flowable material 12 is applied to the sheet material as it passes beneath the applicator assembly 11. The outlet region 14 is of the same length as the sheet material 26. Thus, all of the flowable material 12 is deposited onto the sheet material 26 as it passes through the treatment zone. Without the present invention, if the outlet region 14 were left the same and a mat having a smaller width was passed through the treatment zone a portion of the flowable material would notbeapplied to the sheet material. That portion of the flowable material would pass through the treatment zone and onto and into the conveyor. This flowable material passing through the treatment zone would be wasted material. FIG. 3 shows how a narrow mat may be produced according to the present invention without wasting the flowable material. The hopper 10 and its outlet region 14 are shown oblique to the sheet material 28. As can readily be seen the outlet region l4 islonger than the mat sheet material 28 is wide. The sheet material 28 is passed through the treatment zone above the conveyor means 24. The sheet material 28 is similar to that described in FIG. 1 and could for example be a continuous strand glass fiber mat. The treatment zone being directly above the conveyor means. By movably mounting the applicator assembly 11, the width dimension of the elongated curtain-like stream of flowable material leaving the outlet region 14 is movable with respect to the direction of movement of the sheet material 28. The sheet material 28 in FIG. 3 is moving from left to right. This movement of the applicator means effects a change in the width of the treatment by the flowable material 12 without changing the width of the elongated curtain-like stream of flowable material 12 leaving the outlet region 14. A metering roll 16 and brush roll 18 are shown as described in FIG. 1.

Therefore, as can readily be seen by FIGS. 2 and 3, an applicator means with a fixed outlet or discharge region may be movably mounted according to the present invention so that the effective treatment area can be modified as desired. The effective treatment area is the area of treatment by the fluent material. When a sheet material, as wide as the outlet region is long. is being treated it would be desirable to position the applicator means as shown in FIG. 2. Thus the effective treatment area would be the entire area of the sheet. If it were desired to only treat a portion of the sheet material with the flowable material, the applicator means could be moved to change the effective treatment area by narrowing the width of treatment of the sheet. Likewise, if a sheet with a smaller width than the length of the outlet region of the applicator means was to be treated, the applicator means could be moved according to the present invention so the effective area of treatment would match the area of the sheet. This is shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the applicator means is supported such that the effective area of treatment by the flowable material on the sheet material may be varied. The effective area of treatment may have a width as large as the width of the curtain-like stream of flowable material and it may have a width as small as the thickness of the curtain-like stream.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show a preferred embodiment of the invention. The applicator assembly is similar to that described earlier. A hopper 10 is positioned above a sheet material 22. As discussed earlier, the sheet material 22 can be a fibrous mineral material. Thus, the sheet material could be a continuous strand glass fiber mat or a chopped strand glass fiber mat. The hopper 10 contains flowable material 12. An agitator 30 is shown inside the hopper .10 for agitation of the flowable material 12. The agitator 30 stirs 'the fluent material 12 to aid in keeping the material in a flowable condition. The agitator 30 can also be used to mix the flowable material 12. The flowable material 12 is discharged from the hopper through an outlet region in the bottom of the hopper. A metering device such as the roll 16 is positioned at the opening in the bottom of the hopper. This metering roll 16 may be a knurled or grooved roll. A brush roll 18 is shown in combination with the grooved or knurled roll 16. The brush roll 18 is used to remove the fluent material 12 from the knurled or grooved roll 16.

FIG. 6 shows the drive mechanism for moving the agitator roll 30, the brush roll 18, the metering roll 16 and an idler roll 32. A motor 34 and a speed reducer 36 are used to drive the rolls. The motor 34 may be a variable speed AC or DC type motor. The speed reducer 36 may be a variable speed reducer or a variable gear reducer. The rolls are shown to be connected to the motor 34 and speed reducer 36 by a chain 38 and sprocket 40 type drive. A chain 38 and sprocket 40 drive would be a positive non-strip type drive. A timing belt or double V belt could also be used in place of the chain 38. 7

FIG. 5 shows the fluent material 12 being discharged from the hopper 10. The fluentrnaterial 12 is being applied to the sheet material 22. A conveyor means 24 supported by rollers convey the material 22 beneath the applicator means. The conveyor means may be a foraminous type conveyor such as a chain conveyor.

FIG. 4 shows support means for movably mounting the applicator assembly above the sheet material 22. A circular track 42 is horizontally disposed around the hopper 10. This track 42 or guide may be similar to a railroad type track or rail. The track 42 is attached to the applicator assembly.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show roller means 44 attached to a support member 46. These rollers 44 and support member 46 are used to movably support the applicator assembly. The applicator assembly is movably mounted above the sheet material 22 by the track 42 being movably supported by the rollers 44. The rollers 44 are shown to be flat wheel type rollers. However, the rolls 44 could be a flanged type roller such as a wheel on a railroad car.

It would be of course, within the scope of the present invention to have the track attached to the support member rather than the applicator means and to have the roller means attached to the applicator means rather than the support member. Thus the applicator would still be movably supported as the rollers would movably support the track.

Thus, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show an applicator apparatus similar to that discussed earlier and details on how the applicator means may be movably mounted so that the applicator means can be moved to change the disposition of the width dimension of the stream of fluent material 12 with respect to the path of the sheet material 22 to effect changes in the area treated by the flowable material 12 in the treatment zone without changing the width of the stream. The applicator means may be moved by moving the track 42 across the rollers 44. The applicator means would thus be moving about a vertical axis. As shown in FIG. 4 the vertical axis would pass through the midregion of the applicator means. With a track other than the circular track shown or if the applicator means were positioned within the track in a different manner the vertical axis of movement may not pass through the midregion of the applicator means.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The applicator assembly is like that just discussed. A hopper 10 with an agitator 30 is positioned above sheet material 22. At the outlet region of the hopper 10 is a metering device 48 as discussed earlier. The metering device shown is a knurled or grooved roll used in combination with a brush roll. The rolls are driven in a similar manner as discussed in FIG. 6. A motor 34 with speed reducer 36 drives the rolls with a sprocket 40 and chain 38 system. This drive system has been discussed. The flowable material 12 is discharged from the applicator assembly and is applied to the sheet material 22 which is shown in FIG. 7 to be on a conveyor means 24 which is supported by a conveyor support 25.

A bearing means 50 connects the applicator means with a support means 52. The bearing means 50 and the support member 52 movably support the applicator assembly such that the applicator means is moved about a vertical axis. This vertical axis may, as shown in FIG. 7, pass through the mid-region of the applicator means. By pivotally mounting the applicator means, the applicator may be moved about a vertical axis so that the orientation between the discharged opening of the hopper l0 and the direction of movement of the sheet material 22 can be changed to vary the effective area of treatment by the fluent material 12 discharged from the applicator means. The bearing means 50 may be a ballbearing type or some other type of bearing means.

Having described the invention in detail and with reference to particular materials, it will be understood that such specifications are given for the sake of explanation, and various modifications and substitutions other than those cited may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying flowable material to sheet material comprising:

a. means for advancing sheet material along a given path extending through a treatment zone;

b. applicator means above the path for directing a stream of the flowable material downwardly to the treatment zone for application to the sheet material during its advancement, the stream having a width that is greater than its thickness; and

c. support means movably mounting the applicator means so that the applicator means can be moved about an axis to change the disposition of the width dimension of the stream with respect to the path of the sheet material to effect changes in the area treated by the flowable material in the treatment zone without changing the width of the stream.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the support means holds the applicator means for movement about a vertical axis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the vertical axis passes through the midregion of the applicator means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means includes a support member and a bearing means connecting the support member and the applicator means so the applicator means is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis above the treatment zone.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means includes a horizontally disposed circular track that carries the applicator means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which the support means further includes means holding the track for movement about a vertical axis wherein the track is fixed to the applicator means.

7. An apparatus for treating elongated fibrous sheet material by applying a stream of fluent material upon the fibrous sheet material during its movement below such apparatus comprising:

a. an applicator means having an elongated opening for discharging the fluent material; and

b. means holding the applicator for movement about a vertical axis so that the orientation between the elongated discharge opening and direction of movement of the sheet material can be changed to vary the effective area of treatment by the fluent material discharged from the applicator.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 in which the applicator means includes a metering means at the elongated opening for metering the amount of fluent material being discharged.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the metering means includes a rotatable roll extending along the elongated opening.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 in which th metering means further includes means for brushing the discharged fluent material from the surface of the rotatable roll during its movement wherein the rotatable roll has a knurled surface.

ll. An apparatus for treating glass fiber mat by applying a stream of fluent binder material to the glass fiber mat during its movement below such apparatus Comprising:

a. an applicator means for holding the binder material having an elongated opening for discharging the material;

b. means holding the applicator means for movement about a vertical axis so that the orientation between the elongated discharge opening and the direction of movement of the glass fiber mat can be changed to vary the area of treatment of the glass fiber mat by the stream of fluent binder material.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means holding the applicator means includes a support member and a bearing means connecting the support member and the applicator means.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means holding the applicator means includes a horizontal circular track that carries the applicator means.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 in which the means holding the applicator means further includes means holding the track for movement about a vertical axis wherein the track is fixed to the applicator means. 

1. Apparatus for applying flowable material to sheet material comprising: a. means for advancing sheet material along a given path extending through a treatment zone; b. applicator means above the path for directing a stream of the flowable material downwardly to the treatment zone for application to the sheet material during its advancement, the stream having a width that is greater than its thickness; and c. support means movably mounting the applicator means so that the applicator means can be moved about an axis to change the disposition of the width dimension of the stream with respect to the path of the sheet material to effect changes in the area treated by the flowable material in the treatment zone without changing the width of the stream.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the support means holds the applicator means for movement about a vertical axis.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the vertical axis passes through the midregion of the applicator means.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means includes a support member and a bearing means connecting the support member and the applicator means so the applicator means is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis above the treatment zone.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the support means includes a horizontally disposed circular track that carries the applicator means.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which the support means further includes means holding the track for movement about a vertical axis wherein the track is fixed to the applicator means.
 7. An apparatus for treating elongated fibrous sheet material by applying a stream of fluent material upon the fibrous sheet material during its movement below such apparatus comprising: a. an applicator means having an elongated opening for discharging the fluent material; and b. means holding the applicator for movement about a vertical axis so that the orientation between the elongated discharge opening and direction of movement of the sheet material can be changed to vary the effective area of treatment by the fluent material discharged from the applicator.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 in which the applicator means includes a metering means at the elongated opening for metering the amount of fluent material being discharged.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 8 in which the metering means includes a rotatable roll extending along the elongated opening.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9 in which the metering means further includes means for brushing the discharged fluent material from the surface of the rotatable roll during its movement wherein the rotatable roll has a knurled surface.
 11. An apparatus for treating glass fiber mat by applying a stream of fluent binder material to the glass fiber mat during its movement below such apparatus comprising: a. an applicator means for holding the binder material having an elongated opening for discharging the material; b. means holding the applicator means for movement about a vertical axis so that the orientation between the elongated discharge opening and the direction of movement of the glass fiber mat can be changed to vary the area of treatment of the glass fiber mat by the stream of fluent binder material.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means holding the applicator means includes a support member and a bearing means connecting the support member and the applicator means.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 10 in which the means holding the applicator means includes a horizontal circular track that carries the applicator means.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 12 in whiCh the means holding the applicator means further includes means holding the track for movement about a vertical axis wherein the track is fixed to the applicator means. 